Letters to the Editor

Obama appears to be better fiscal steward

"Reagan proved that deficits don't matter," said former Vice President Dick Cheney. If he was correct, then why do the Republicans keep blaming President Obama for the size of budget deficits and the national debt?

It is important to remember that President Clinton ended his term as president with budget surpluses. President George W. Bush chose to spend the budget surplus on tax cuts, with most of those cuts going to people with high incomes. During the Bush years, we fought two wars and added prescription drug coverage for seniors. We didn't cut other government spending or increase taxes to pay for them. The result was decreased revenues and increased spending that caused a doubling of the national debt during the Bush administration.

During President Obama's term, the war in Iraq has ended, and the war in Afghanistan is winding down. There have been budget cuts, the sequester and tax increases for the wealthy. While the national debt is projected to increase, the amount of deficit this year is projected to be half of the amount from the first year of the Obama administration. It would appear that President Obama is more fiscally responsible than his predecessor.

Bruce Washburn

Cedar City

Labor Day, unions still needed in U.S.

This close to Labor Day I wonder, is this outdated holiday still necessary? Labor Day was founded to honor the labor unions and their members who fought for the rights of America's working class. It seems that unions have outlived their usefulness and don't belong in today's society.

After all, don't all Americans have safe working conditions, workplace security, medical coverage, annuities, pensions, sick days, protection from workplace harassment, family benefits and receive a living wage? Don't women doing the same jobs as men receive equal pay? No employer today would dare to ship jobs overseas or cut workers hours to keep them from receiving benefits, would they?

Isn't it nice to know that all workers are taken care of so well by industry that they don't have to work past age 62? Imagine having to work into your 70s while others are enjoying their golden years? Union workers make $3 for every $2 non-union workers make in comparable occupations; does one really need all that extra money? All my adult life I worked union and was forced to pay union dues, and all I got out of it was a pension, annuity, medical care and a dignified retirement!

Gary Wellin

Apple Valley

Don't buy in to state's positive hype

"Utah's economy ? Busy bees," in the international news magazine The Economist (Aug. 31) effectively presented the positive side of Utah's economic situation. The writer bought into the hype and illusion of Utah's self-promotion efforts.

Air quality during much of the winter is atrocious, due largely to small particulate pollution.

Utah now suffers from serious ozone issues year round, due in part to the extensive gas and oil activities in eastern and rural Utah;

Our natural gas fields are leaking methane at very high levels - 10 or more percent of total releases (Aug. 5 news story), increasing Utah's already very high contribution to global warming.

Our education funding is the lowest among all the states.

We have terrible voter-participation statistics.

Utah has been beautiful, exciting and special. It is now being rapidly destroyed by uncritical growth, "lead" by a Republican theocracy based on "positive" ideologies and wishful illusions, with a strong science denial attitude.

There's more to the Utah story than hype and illusion.

Joseph Andrade

Salt Lake City

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Letters to the Editor

'Reagan proved that deficits don't matter,' said former Vice President Dick Cheney. If he was correct, then why do the Republicans keep blaming President Obama for the size of budget deficits and the